Layout the World---The Grand Strategy of Ancient Chinese Military Geography

Author: Rao Shengwen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-03-27
Features: There has been a game of Go in the world, some say it is similar to military strategy. As for the higher level of Go, it is about avoiding distant and spreading, setting up a meeting (surround), thus forming many, and winning the way of victory; the middle level, then it focuses on blocking and intercepting, seeking convenience and profit, so the victory and defeat are uncertain, and must be determined by counting; the lower level, then it guards the borders and corners, rushes to make enclosures, and lives in small places, but it must also be inferior. The ancient Chinese military geographical pattern is a type of chessboard pattern. From the perspective of military geography, China's geographical pattern is like an irregular Go board. On this irregular Go board, Guanzhong, Hebei, Southeast, and Sichuan are its four corners, Shanxi, Shandong, Hubei, and Hanzhong are its four sides, and the Central Plains are its central hinterland. Although China's territory is vast, the nine major regions mentioned above play a decisive role in the wars of the dynasties. Generally, they are distributed on the second and third steps of China's terrain. Here, the decisive role refers mainly to the importance of the nine regions mentioned above in the wars of the dynasties, often related to the unification or division of the world, to the rise or decline of a dynasty, or, in the wars between the Central Plains regime and the nomads in the northern frontier, to the survival or demise of the Central Plains regime. Ancients often said, "mountains and rivers are the meeting places." Generally speaking, places where there are both mountainous and dangerous terrain that can be relied on and river and waterway channels that can be used for transportation are easy to form strategic points. Several east-west mountain ranges and river systems intersect and crisscross, dividing the hinterland of China into several relatively independent regions. The three-step ladder of China's terrain is roughly distributed in a northeast-southwest direction. Among them, the eastern edge zone of the second step ladder is a series of mountains—starting from the Yanshan Mountains in the north, following the Taihang Mountains southward, passing through the Songshan Mountains, Fangcheng, connecting to the Tongbai Mountains, Dahuang Mountains, and then turning to the western and southern mountains of Hubei and Hunan to connect to the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau—as an important dividing line between China's east and west. The north-south direction also divides into several layers, with the main dividing lines being the Yangtze River, the Yellow River, the Huai River, and the Qin-Ba Mountains. In addition, the Zhongtiao Mountains and the Dabieshan Mountains also play a supplementary role. These intersecting mountain ranges and river systems divide the hinterland of China into several relatively independent geographical units. The hinterland of these geographical units generally has a certain spatial capacity, with dangerous mountains or rivers on the periphery as barriers; with large and small rivers flowing in and out, they serve as transportation lines within these regions and also connect different areas, and this connection is the important foundation for the formation of strategic relations between regions. The strategic significance of mountains and rivers is different. The significance of mountains lies in blocking, and the key is to have passageways that can be used for transportation; the significance of rivers lies in transportation, and the key is to have strategic points that can be controlled. Generally speaking, fault zones of mountainous areas or river valleys formed by river sources cutting through mountain ranges are convenient to be used as transportation passageways through mountains. For example, the four passes of Guanzhong, the eight passes of the Taihang Mountains, and the several plateaus passing through the Qin-Ba Mountains are all like this. Rivers are mainly used as transportation lines for human and material resources. To use rivers as barriers, it is necessary to establish strategic points at important ferry crossings or where tributaries meet the main rivers to ensure control over these rivers. For example, Mengjin and Pujin of the Yellow River, Guazhou Ferry and Caisi Ferry of the Yangtze River, Yingkou, Wokou, and Siku of the Huai River all have important military strategic points formed. With mountainous and dangerous terrain that can be relied on, it is easy to establish a base in a chaotic situation, form local order, and accumulate strength; with river and waterway channels that can be used for transportation, it is convenient to deliver strength externally, expand externally, and intervene in the overall situation. Most of the nine major strategic points mentioned above have these conditions. It should be noted that the nine major strategic points mentioned above are not all divided according to the current provincial administrative divisions, but are mainly considered to have formed relatively independent geographical units in the military geographical pattern due to their terrain and topography, and they have indeed shown their status as independent units in the wars of the dynasties. Among them, Guanzhong mainly refers to the part of Shaanxi north of the Qinling Mountains; Hanzhong region is considered a separate strategic point due to its relative independence; Southeast mainly refers to the central and southern parts of Jiangsu and Anhui provinces; and the Central Plains mainly refer to Henan. The other areas are basically the same as the current provincial administrative divisions. In terms of nomenclature, both Guanzhong and the Central Plains have followed the ancient names, because these names themselves are full of strategic colors. Surrounding these major strategic points, there are some areas that are also very important under special circumstances, but due to their location, the dangerous mountains and rivers that protect them also hinder their connection with the outside world to some extent, and hinder their comprehensive involvement in the overall situation, so in the rise and fall of the dynasties, they have not shown a decisive meaning for the overall situation. Of course, after modern times, China's national defense situation has changed, and their status in the military geographical pattern has also changed. In this chessboard pattern, Guanzhong, Hebei, Southeast, and Sichuan are located at the four corners. The four corners each have their own unique geographical conditions, generally having relatively superior mountain and river situations, relatively stable rear areas, and reliable mountain and river barriers, which can be a situation where one can advance and retreat, attack and defend; they also have superior economic conditions, which are sufficient to support and sustain a large political and military group; and they have a certain social foundation, which is easy to form a certain social and political force. When a force first rises, occupying the mountainous and dangerous areas of the four corners, it can establish a base, operate at ease, accumulate strength, and lay the foundation for future advancement in the world. Guanzhong's mountains and rivers are surrounded by four passes, with the Qinling Mountains stretching across the south, the Longshan Mountains extending to the west, the Loess Plateau to the north, and the Huashan and Xiaoshan Mountains, as well as the northern mountains of Shanxi to the east, and surrounded by the Yellow River. It can be said that it is surrounded by mountains and rivers, with a united momentum. In terms of topography, Guanzhong is in a high-rise position relative to the plain areas in the east. Guanzhong is surrounded by mountains and rivers on all four sides, and several important transportation passageways are established to defend them. The most important ones are Hangu Pass, which controls the danger of Xiaoquan and controls the communication between Guanzhong and the Central Plains; Wuguan Pass, which controls the danger of the eastern section of the Qinling Mountains and guards the access to the southeastern direction of Guanzhong; San Pass, which controls the danger of the western end of the Qinling Mountains and controls the transportation throat between Guanzhong, Hanzhong, and Bashu; and Xiaoguan, which controls the danger of Longshan and guards the northwest passage of Guanzhong. The four passes are dangerous and solid, and they can close the passes to defend themselves and open the passes to advance. When the situation is favorable, they advance out of the passes; when the situation is unfavorable, they close the passes to defend themselves. This enables Guanzhong to have a situation where it can advance and retreat, attack or defend. Hebei is surrounded by mountains and the sea on three sides, with the Central Plains to the south. The Yanshan Mountains play the role of a barrier against the southward advance of northern nomads, protecting Hebei and even the entire Central Plains. Passes such as Juyong Pass, Shanhaiguan, Songting Pass, Gubeikou, Lengkou, and Xifengkou guard several transportation passageways that cross the Yanshan Mountains. The Taihang Mountains are an important barrier on the right flank of Hebei. Passes such as Zijing Pass, Damaguan, Jingxing Pass, and Fazhou guard the passage through the Taihang Mountains. There are some east-west rivers in the plain hinterland of Hebei, such as the Jima River, the Tu River, and the Zhuo River, which can also be used to establish a river defense system in the wars between the Central Plains regime and northern nomads. For ethnic minority regimes that dominate the Central Plains from the northern frontier, Hebei, especially the northern part of Hebei, is particularly important because it connects the agricultural economy of the Central Plains with the pastoral economy of the northern frontier. This connection becomes particularly important when their rule is challenged by the Central Plains. The defense pattern of Southeast is a multi-layered defense system relying on the Yangtze River and the Huai River. In the north-south confrontation, the south mainly relies on the Yangtze River and the Huai River. Many military strategic points in the south are formed on this basis. The Yangtze River extends from Bashu in the east, passes through Jingxiang in the middle, and connects to Wu-Yue in the south, stretching east-west for thousands of miles, with the upper and lower reaches mutually responding, making the overall situation of the south complete; in addition, the Yangtze River itself plays the role of a natural moat against the northern cavalry charge. The south has established a series of military strategic points along the Yangtze River, guarding several key points of the Yangtze River. There were two easy-to-cross places in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River in ancient times, one was Caisi Ferry and the other was Guazhou Ferry, located upstream and downstream of Jiankang (now Nanjing). Jiankang also strengthened the defense of these two ferry crossings. On the south bank of these two ferry crossings, there are Jingkou (now Zhenjiang, Jiangsu) and Caisi, and on the north bank, there are Guangling (now Yangzhou, Jiangsu) and Liyang (now Heshan, Anhui), all of which have military garrisons and are established as strategic points. The Huai River is in a complementary relationship with the Yangtze River, playing a dual barrier role. The operation of the Huai River has both defensive and active offensive strategic meanings. The dynasties that controlled the south for generations had a deep understanding of the interdependent relationship between the Huai River and the Yangtze River, and the argument that "defending the Yangtze must first defend the Huai" can be seen everywhere. The south has also established a series of strategic points along the Huai River, mainly guarding the confluence of tributaries of the Huai River with the Huai River. In Huaiwest, the main ones are Zhongli (now Fengyang, Anhui) and Shouchun (now Shou County, Anhui); in Huai east, the main ones are Shanyang (now Huai'an, Jiangsu) and Xuyi. Shouchun is directly opposite Yingkou (the confluence of the Ying River and the Huai River), blocking enemies coming from the upper reaches of the Ying River or the upper reaches of the Huai River; Zhongli is directly opposite Wokou (the confluence of the Wo River and the Huai River), blocking the of the Wo River. The main tributary of the lower reaches of the Huai River is the Si River. In ancient times, the Si River flowed south from Shandong and converged into the Huai River near Huai'an. The Si-Huai waterway has been an important north-south water transportation artery since ancient times, and Shanyang and Xuyi control the routes coming from the Si River direction. In the Si River direction, if a more active attitude is adopted, Pengcheng (now Xuzhou) can be developed to aim at the north. With the changes in the strength of north and south forces, their offensive and defensive situations also change. When the south is strong, it can advance into the northern part of the Huai River to conquer the Central Plains; when the south is weak, it often retreats to the Yangtze River; when the north and south are evenly matched, the Huai River line often serves as the frontline of confrontation. Sichuan is located in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River Basin and is a typical basin terrain. In each direction outside the basin, there are towering mountains and high peaks, with protection that is unmatched by other regions. The Three Gorges are the passageways between it and the east, and the valleys of the Jialing River and its tributaries are the passageways between it and the north. The passageways in both directions are extremely dangerous. Generally, the east is a waterway, with a river route; the north is a land route, with a plateau route. These two directions are respectively focused on two major centers: Chongqing and Chengdu. From Chongqing to the east, passing through the Three Gorges and crossing Wushan, it can enter Hubei, with Fengjie (the ancient Kuizhou) as its gateway, and Jiāngtángguān (also known as Jiangguan, Hanguan) is located here; from Chengdu to the north, through the Jinbi Road and the Micang Road, it can enter Hanzhong, and another Yiping Road can connect to Longshan, with Jiāngmén Guān (also known as Jiāngmen Pass) as its gateway. There are also several river and waterway routes connecting Chongqing and Chengdu. The formation of the four corners of Guanzhong, Hebei, Southeast, and Sichuan also has another indispensable condition, which is the superior natural conditions that are beneficial to economic development. Superior natural conditions are suitable for the development of agricultural production, so that grain can be stored and troops can be fed, and a large political and military group can be supported and sustained. The hinterland of Guanzhong is an alluvial plain formed by the Wei River, the Jing River, the Luo River, and their tributaries, known as "eight hundred miles of Qin plain," with fertile land, convenient irrigation, and suitable for the development of agriculture. Although the agricultural production conditions of ancient Hebei were not as good as now, Hebei, especially the northern part of Hebei, has a relatively good condition for trade between the hinterland and the northern frontier, and between the agricultural economy and the pastoral economy. This economic characteristic is consistent with Hebei's status as an important connecting zone between the Central Plains and the northern frontier. The natural conditions for agricultural production in Southeast are relatively superior. With the development and development of Jiangnan, by the Southern Dynasties, the southeastern Yangzhou region, which was called "lower and lower land" in the "Yu Gong," had already shown a prosperous and wealthy scene. Since the Sui and Tang dynasties, the financial resources of Southeast have been relied upon by Guanzhong. The Sui Dynasty dug the Grand Canal, and the Tang Dynasty vigorously improved the waterway transportation, both with the intention of transferring the financial resources of Southeast to supply Guanzhong. During the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, when the capital was in Beijing, the economy also relied on Southeast and operated the Grand Canal to transfer the financial resources of Southeast to supply the capital. The Sichuan Basin has been called "the land of abundance" in history. The hinterland of Sichuan is a plain formed by the Yangtze River and its numerous tributaries, with thousands of miles of fertile land, suitable for agricultural production; coupled with the rich products of Sichuan and its surrounding areas, the Sichuan region has been praised as "prosperous in people and rich in the country." Most of the strategic points in the four corners with mountainous and dangerous terrain can achieve local hegemony. But to unify the world, there is not enough geographical condition, there must be a certain social foundation. With a certain social foundation, it is possible to integrate a strong social and political force. A strong social and political force is the social foundation for advancing to the world. Among the major strategic points in the four corners, the regimes established in Guanzhong and Hebei have once completed the great cause of unifying the world, and most of the national regimes in history were also established here; the regimes established in Southeast mostly unified half of the Jiangnan region and formed a confrontation with the north, and few unified the world (except for the Ming Dynasty's Zhu Yuanzhang); the regimes established in Sichuan were mostly separatist regimes, and no regime had ever unified the world. The root cause can be traced from the social foundation on which these regimes were based. Whether a region can rise to a strong social and political force is closely related to the folk customs, social and cultural characteristics, and development level of the region. Guanzhong is close to the Western, with a fierce and brave customs, and the people are accustomed to war; since the Shang Yang reforms, the Qin people took farming and war as their foundation, and the legacy has a far-reaching influence, forming a social style that is completely different from that of the eastern region, with the saying "Guan Dong produces ministers, Guan Xi produces generals" [Note: Volume 58 of the "Book of the Later Han," the biography of Yu Yu] even mentioned in the Qin and Han periods; in the late Northern Dynasties, the Xianbei military aristocracy combined with the northern Han surname landowners to form a group force—the Guanzhong Group, which became the foundation of the rule of Western Wei, Northern Zhou, Sui, and early Tang. Hebei has been the frontline against northern nomads since the Warring States period,